


Flowers, and Things That Don't Fade

by xanemarths



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Shin Ankoku Ryuu to Hikari no Ken | Fire Emblem: Shadow Dragon
Genre: Flower Crowns, Nonbinary Character, Other, Past Abuse, Pre-Relationship, Trust, mentioned only vaguely but nevertheless
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-08
Updated: 2017-03-08
Packaged: 2018-09-30 22:01:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10173281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xanemarths/pseuds/xanemarths
Summary: The look in xir eyes is one that Marth recognizes all too well. In time, perhaps, Xane will learn to trust him; for now, though, it is enough to sit with xem and wait.Twoshot for ferarepair week; days 3 and 2 (friend/foe/curious and patient/hurt/nighttime), out of order because it worked better that way.





	

Xe’s staring again, that odd glance that happens whenever xe doesn’t think xirself noticed. The one that Marth can feel a sneer on.

It’s odd, how Xane darts in and out like this. On one moment, xe seems truly grateful to him for rescuing xem; the next, xe shies away from him, does… this. Xe clearly hates Dolhr, that much is certain (he remembers how the shapeshifter flinched, shied away when they confronted the manakete who’d taken his throne and his mother’s life), and yet xe reacts no better to his army.

He decides it’s best to ignore Xane, for now. Xe can make xir move when xe feels it’s time; until then, he continues his work, twisting flowerstems together until they form a crown.

It doesn’t take long. Xane meanders closer, in a way that seems to emphasize just how little xe really cares, surely, xe’s not _bored_ , or anything. Marth doesn’t even raise his eyes to acknowledge xem. Everything, he decides, must be xir move first. It would be no use forcing xem into a situation xe didn’t want.

“What,” xe begins, finally, “are ya doin’.”

It’s a simple question, except it’s less of a question and more of a flat demand for an answer. It still feels like progress. “I’m making flowercrowns,” he answers, simply, just as he finishes one and begins on another. Xane scowls.

“I know what a flowercrown is, Princey. I meant,” xe gestures at nothing but open air, “ _this_.”

“Why I am very casually making flowercrowns specifically in your presence, in a way which may be deemed wholly unthreatening?”

Marth raises an eyebrow, almost as an underscore to his question. Xane snorts, folds xir arms, looks away. “Yeah. Somethin’ like that.”

“You don’t trust me.”

Xane pauses, before twisting xir face into something resembling a smile. “Whaaa?! Princey, you rescued me, I owe ya my _life_ -”

“That doesn’t stop you from seeing me as a potential enemy,” Marth says, quietly. “I can see that look in your eyes. I’d like for you to consider me a friend, perhaps, but I know you very much do not.”  
Xane shifts. The smile doesn’t leave xir face, but the warmth does. “And how could ya ever be thinkin’ that?”

Marth hesitates. “It’s just a familiar look in your eye,” he murmurs, finally, focusing all his efforts into weaving flowerstems. It’s the same look he gets in his eyes, whenever he’s around someone he doesn’t trust, someone he deems a threat.

Xane stares him down. The prince’s fingers fumble on the crown. “So you’re tryin’ to placate me through the non-threatenin’ act of… flower crowns?”

“Yes,” he says, quickly; he still remembers a time, long ago, when his hands fumbled worse, when he needed Caeda’s steadying fingers to guide his own. They remind him of a time of healing, and calm, and it’s one of his go-tos, when stressed.

“Why?” Xane asks, frowning and wrinking xir nose at him. Marth puts the flowercrown down.

“I do not know anything about you, Xane. I do not know _why_ you don’t trust me, what things you have seen, or gone through, but I would, at the very least, like you to feel comfortable around me.” He pauses, smiles. “And, perhaps, eventually, I’d like to be your friend.”

The shapeshifter jumps, visibly shocked; xir odd red eyes stare at the prince. When he makes no move to contradict what he’s just said, to brush it off as a joke, xe relaxes, shakes xir head. “You’re a real odd human, Princey. Ya know that?”

Something about calling him a “human” feels odd. Marth decides to not question it. “Something to that effect, maybe.”

The silence between them stretches on, and eventually he starts work on another crown. Xane joins in, wordlessly, and together they work, until the call goes out for dinner.

**Author's Note:**

> ah my weird attempts at poetic bullshit  
> yes Marth that's exactly how you befriend people, you make flowercrowns in their presence and wait for them to come to you.


End file.
